#cck11: Thinking about Frames
So it’s Week 2 of CCK11 and I’m thinking about Frames (which seem pretty much the same thing as ‘context’ – am I right?). I really enjoyed George Lakoff’s talk – not just because of his magnificent beard, which I am incredibly envious of – and have started watching the full-length version. I’m valuing my background as a biology teacher on this course and it’s great to start to get a sense of the extent to which the sciences connect.
As our general awareness and appreciation of these connections increases, what impact will this have on the frames within which we think and build knowledge? During Martin Weller’s session yesterday, the different frames all the participants were thinking within became very apparent as the backchannel started debating and dissecting the concept of ‘scholarship’. Many of us had highly persistent associations between ‘scholarship’ and, for example, degrees, tuition fees and publication. I realised that I personally see scholarship simply as a commitment to learning that takes many forms. Perhaps I quite enjoy deconstructing associations!
While I was listening to George Lakoff, I recalled a learning experience I had maybe two or three years ago when I was studying for my MA with Jack Whitehead. At the time I found this experience quite frustrating as Jack would link familiar words together into phrases that were quite unfamiliar (e.g. ‘living educational theory’, ‘life-affirming energy’). I hadn’t yet navigated my way into Jack’s Action Research frame.
Initially I’m thinking that frames are going to be a useful way of thinking about different contexts and perspectives. I’m just beginning to get a feel for how the frames of connectivism and network theory dovetail together. More later…
Tags: CCK11
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lindsay Jordan, Geoff Young. Geoff Young said: Your take on scholarship = agreed RT @lindsayjordan Just blogged #cck11 Week 2: Thinking about Frames http://bit.ly/h4T1pi [...]
[...] important, because we try to think rational inside frames. Concepts are not neutral. Question of Lindsay Jordan: “Frames which seem pretty much the same thing as ‘context’ – am I right?” [...]
concept of ‘scholarship’
Call me biased, but I believe the “read world” defines scholarship as concentrated study within a particular domain – and does not address degrees and the like. Within institutions of higher learning, however, it’s verboten to call yourself a scholar without the Ph.D. behind your name. Another form of unionism and/or class distinction having nothing to do with actual scholarship.
[...] from CCK11 MOOC, where there has been some talk about framing, context, and rationality. Lindsay Jordan says: Frames which seem pretty much the same thing as ‘context’ – am I [...]
Context but also about framing as deliberately setting context. Lakoff’s frames also reminds me of Mark Pegrum’s Lenses (From Blogs to Bombs, http://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/isbn/9781921401343.htm); also different ways of knowing (explaining) the world ~ chronologically, from one paradigm shift to another
Hi Lindsay,
What a great blogpost! I enjoyed reading it. Your “deconstruction of associations” comment was interesting, since I like to break theory down into its practical aspects. There is beauty in simplicity, especially when a teacher (me) is having to explain something to a student who is having difficulty grasping something, which is more often the case than we teachers might be willing to concede.
I agree with you totally Lindsay, scholarship takes many forms nowadays. There is the traditional, academic kind of scholarship, and there is the non-traditional, informal pursuit of knowledge and learning, which you and I are doing here through your reflection and my response to your thinking, “out loud”, so to speak.
As Martin pointed out, the boundaries of scholarship, in a digital world, have blurred. For example, we could argue that this your blog post constitutes a publication, peer-reviewed by your colleagues who have responded. Traditional views of scholarship however, would find that to be a heretical statement, of that I’m certain. It is a viewpoint that is in need of being redefined,
For the time being, however, until that redefinition occurs, people like you and I must content ourselves with a notion of scholarship and learning for the pure enjoyment of learning. If that proves to be insufficiently satisfying, then we know what we have to do: place our energies and passion for learning within the tradition-defined education frameworks.
Turning to Lakoff, I found him particularly enlightening. The connections and associations we make when having learning experiences are all around us, and most go unnoticed, under the radar, mediated by our subconsciousness.
For me as a teacher, and equally so as a learner, I am going to try to exploit this insight by asking my students what they are reminded of by a particular topic, what was happening simultaneously when something else happened, and try to bring that more into a conscious focus.
Of course, one could argue that we teachers have been doing this all along, by designing learning to progress from what one already knows to what is new. Still, I would say Lakoff makes it clear that this can be stronger, more potentiated.
Yes, your takeaway idea, “frames are going to be a useful way of thinking about different contexts and perspectives”, resonates well with me. There would appear to be a great benefit in raising our personal awareness that nothing happens outside of a given context, or perspective. This I would venture to say is beneficial for everyone, regardless to what eventual use they have in mind.
Lindsay, it has been a pleasure interacting with you on this topic, and i hope you continue to find this CCK course intellectually stimulating and worth the effort and energy and time required to continue to share your insights with all of us here.
I urge you to continue the journey you are on and to enjoy the voyage, for you will surely arrive at some distant destination, as will I, and looking back, we will know that it was not our “arrival in that distant port”, at the end of the journey, that was most satisfying, but the experiences we had along the way….
Best regards,
Thomas
(your friend, and fellow voyager, from Chile)
Hey Thomas – thanks so much for this! I’m just stepping back on board the Cruise of Connective Knowledge after an extended stop-off at the Port of Assignment Marking, and have been surprised and delighted to find all these gifts that have been left for me
You wrote – “we could argue that this your blog post constitutes a publication, peer-reviewed by your colleagues who have responded. Traditional views of scholarship however, would find that to be a heretical statement”.
I don’t understand the traditionalists! This kind of blogging enables the same principles to be followed as traditional academic publishing, only more effectively and efficiently. It’s a miracle traditional journals survive, and they only do so because of the financial infrastructure that remains in place; Blogging, in my opinion, is a purer form of scholarship.
I really appreciate you sharing how you’re going to use the insights gained through this experience in your teaching practice. I’m in the process of drawing together a list of action points and activities to use with my own students in order that they can also benefit.
Thanks again Thomas – speak soon!